Nasal Nerve Detector Ablation Apparatus for Rhinitis Treatment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current treatments for chronic rhinitis, such as surgical removal of inferior turbinate tissue, often result in short-term benefits and are associated with significant postoperative complications like crusting and increased infection rates. Additionally, methods like vidian neurectomy have irreversible complications.
Innovation Solution
A method and device for identifying and ablating targeted nasal nerves, specifically the posterior nasal nerves, using a probe with stimulating electrodes and a cryogenic ablation member. The device stimulates the nasal tissue to identify the nerve based on increased nasal secretion or blood flow responses, and then ablates the nerve to treat rhinitis.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If surgical removal of inferior turbinate tissue is performed, then nasal obstruction is reduced, but postoperative complications such as crusting and increased infection rate occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes only the specific harmful component (posterior nasal nerve) responsible for rhinitis symptoms while preserving the healthy inferior turbinate tissue. This selective neural ablation approach eliminates the pathological nerve fibers that cause hypersensitivity and secretory responses without removing the structural tissue, thereby reducing nasal obstruction symptoms while avoiding the crusting and infection complications associated with traditional turbinate resection.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces an intermediary identification system (stimulating electrodes and response detection) that mediates between the surgeon and the target nerve. This intermediary allows precise localization of the posterior nasal nerve through electrical stimulation and observation of secretory or vascular responses, enabling accurate targeting before ablation and avoiding damage to surrounding healthy tissue, thus preventing postoperative complications.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If vidian neurectomy is performed, then hypersecretion is decreased, but irreversible complications such as dry eyes occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies local quality by performing highly localized ablation of only the posterior nasal nerve branches within the nasal cavity, while preserving the main vidian nerve and its branches supplying other structures. By using stimulating electrodes to identify and ablate only the specific nerve fibers innervating the nasal mucosa (2-3 mm beneath the surface), the treatment achieves local effectiveness for hypersecretion while avoiding widespread damage that causes dry eyes and other irreversible complications.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical surgical approach of vidian neurectomy (which involves opening the vidian canal and cutting the main nerve) with a minimally invasive electrical stimulation and cryoablation system. This substitution allows indirect identification and localized treatment of the posterior nasal nerve through mucosal access, eliminating the need for canal osteotomy and preventing the irreversible complications associated with main vidian nerve damage.
3Measurement precision
If posterior nasal nerve ablation is performed without precise identification, then treatment effectiveness is reduced, but surgical time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention integrates multiple functions into a single probe device: the stimulating electrodes serve both for nerve identification (through electrical stimulation and response detection) and for guiding the ablation process. The same probe system that detects the nerve location also delivers the cryoablation treatment, eliminating the need for separate identification and treatment devices and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining high targeting precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The posterior nasal nerve essentially identifies itself through its physiological response to electrical stimulation (increased nasal secretion or blood flow). The stimulating electrodes deliver current and the system detects the nerve's characteristic response, allowing the nerve to 'self-identify' its location without requiring complex external imaging or navigation systems. This self-service identification mechanism simplifies the device while achieving precise targeting.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and related methods for identifying and/or ablating targeted nerves are provided. A probe with stimulating electrodes and/or ablation members are provided. The probe may be inserted into a nasal cavity and current may be introduced through the electrodes to stimulate a targeted area. The response to stimulation may be used to identify the targeted nerve. Once identified, the ablation member may ablate the targeted nerve.